Australian man behind bars accused of assaulting a taxi driver in Bali

Perth man Tore Bempasciuto behind bars in Bali

It is just the latest in a string of cases of Australians accused of assault on the holiday island in the past few months. Credit: 7NEWS.com.au

An Australian man from Perth is the latest to find himself behind bars in Bali, accused of assaulting a taxi driver in the early hours of Tuesday morning in Kuta.

The man, named as 23-year-old Tore Gerard Vincenzo Bempasciuto, from Ferndale in WA, is being held at Kuta police station while police investigate the case.

It is understood Bempasciuto, described as a mechanical fitter, is accused of assaulting a taxi driver about 4.15am Tuesday morning outside the LXXY Bar in Legian, in an argument over a mobile phone.

Images of the victim, obtained by 7NEWS.com.au, show taxi driver Saipul Nurokhim with a bloodied nose and face and with blood on his shirt.

According to a police chronology of the case, the victim was headbutted suddenly by a westerner, who police allege was Bempasciuto, who is alleged to have also taken the victim’s Samsung mobile phone.

It is alleged, according to witnesses, that Bempasciuto made comments about stealing in Bali, immediately after the alleged headbutting.

“The victim tried to chase the perpetrator who grabbed his mobile phone. However the perpetrator doesn’t give the mobile phone back. He suddenly, it is alleged, hit the victim’s mouth and eye, causing the victim to fall down onto the pedestrian strip,” the police report alleges.

It is further alleged that the Perth man then threw the taxi driver’s mobile phone to the ground, breaking it.

The alleged assault took place outside LXXY Bar in Legian. Credit: Google

Victim's friend speaks

A friend of the victim, a fellow taxi driver who tried to help him, is also alleged to have been hit in the left temple in the violent incident.

Zainal, who witnessed the incident, has told police in a statement that the Australian man allegedly hit the taxi driver twice in the face using a clenched fist.

He says he tried to break up the fight but was hit in the left temple, allegedly by the Australian.

It is alleged that Bempasciuto and a female with him then ran away but Bempasciuto fell down due to the wet pavement and then retreated into a minimart, worried the victim and his friends would take chase.